Samsung Strikes
Over the past year, the vendor has put together one of the top channel programs in the business. But Samsung, not satisfied to rest on its laurels, is planning to take it up another notch. This is a company that has the potential to become the peripherals vendor of choice, with a world-class display business backed up by a solid laser-printer lineup (Samsung is the world's second largest laser-printer engine maker) and a growing hard-drive and optical-drive business.
Samsung last week appointed Gregg Prendergast vice president of sales for the commercial channel for its Digital Information Technology Division. Prendergast, a former Acer America channel executive, is overseeing a massive effort to dramatically increase the mix of the company's commercial sales to 70 percent of revenue, up from 50 percent. What's so amazing about Samsung's commercial program is there is not even the faintest hint of channel conflict in the form of direct-sales initiatives or pricing that favors retailers or larger partners such as CDW. In an age where solution providers have become embittered by vendors' direct-sales Web sites and complete chaos in the sales trenches, Samsung stands out. This from a $30 billion technology giant that also is pushing hard into the emerging digital-home and entertainment market. Samsung is a consumer powerhouse, but at the same time, it recognizes the opportunity to build a huge commercial IT business and is committed to making it happen without any of the angst that often comes when a consumer player moves into the commercial business.
Samsung's commercial products are clearly differentiated. The company is part of a new wave of Asian giants wielding best-in-class channel programs and products aimed at taking share from some of the longtime computer giants that believe channel conflict is a natural state of affairs. Prendergast is already laying the groundwork for multiple channel program improvements and is in the process of putting together a commercial channel council. His message to solution providers is that Samsung is taking it up a notch. That's good news for partners used to seeing vendors take it down a notch. And bad news for competitors with mediocre channel offerings.
Which vendor programs excel? Let me know at (781) 839-1221 or via e-mail at [email protected].